Operation Sunrise was one of the first phases in a long series of counter offensives by the U.S. and South Vietnam against the Viet Cong. Operation Sunrise began the strategic resettlement program which removed rural populations in South Vietnam from their ancestral farmlands, and placed them in fortified villages that were protected by local militia. The plan was to keep smaller villages safe from the Viet Cong. However over 50 of the militia protected hamlets were infiltrated and taken over by the Viet Cong.
As a result of the failures of these hamlets, Diem ordered bombings on hamlets that were suspected of being controlled by the Viet Cong. The air strikes by the South Vietnamese forces were supported by U.S. pilots who also carried out some of the bombings. Dozens of Viet Cong were killed in these bombing, but the civilians also took a hard hit, and civilian casualties deteriorated some of the popular support for Diem and caused more peasant hostility towards the U.S.
Citations:
History , Place. "Operation Sunrise." The History Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov 2010.
Young, Maryilyn. The Vietnam Wars. HarperPerennial, 1991. 82-83, 146-148. Print.
Operation Sunrise
Operation Sunrise was one of the first phases in a long series of counter offensives by the U.S. and South Vietnam against the Viet Cong. Operation Sunrise began the strategic resettlement program which removed rural populations in South Vietnam from their ancestral farmlands, and placed them in fortified villages that were protected by local militia. The plan was to keep smaller villages safe from the Viet Cong. However over 50 of the militia protected hamlets were infiltrated and taken over by the Viet Cong.
As a result of the failures of these hamlets, Diem ordered bombings on hamlets that were suspected of being controlled by the Viet Cong. The air strikes by the South Vietnamese forces were supported by U.S. pilots who also carried out some of the bombings. Dozens of Viet Cong were killed in these bombing, but the civilians also took a hard hit, and civilian casualties deteriorated some of the popular support for Diem and caused more peasant hostility towards the U.S.
Citations:
History , Place. "Operation Sunrise." The History Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov 2010.
Young, Maryilyn. The Vietnam Wars. HarperPerennial, 1991. 82-83, 146-148. Print.